The present application relates to weather radar systems. More particularly, the present application relates to a weather radar system that displays the presence of weather on a screen configured to provide vertical depictions of the weather.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,288 invented by Daniel L. Woodell and assigned to the assignee of the present application discloses systems for and methods of displaying radar information using weather radar systems. Weather radar systems generally include an antenna, a receiver/transmitter circuit, a processor, and a display. The processor is coupled between the display and the receiver/transmitter circuit. The receiver/transmitter circuit is coupled between the processor and the antenna.
The processor provides transmit signals through the receiver/transmitter circuit to the antenna to transmit radar beams. The processor receives radar return signals derived from radar returns received by the antenna. The radar return signals are provided to the processor via the receiver/transmitter circuit.
Conventionally, pilots use weather radar systems to detect and avoid hazardous weather. The radar return signals are processed to provide graphical images to a radar display. The radar display is typically a color multi-function display (MFD) unit that provides color graphical images to represent the severity and location of weather. Conventional weather radar systems include those manufactured by Rockwell Collins, Inc., Honeywell International, Inc. and others.
Conventionally, radar systems processed and displayed data real-time. Each time a pulse was transmitted, the reflected echoes were immediately processed. The echoes were displayed as a single radial line on the indicator at an azimuth angle corresponding to an antenna beam direction. In modern radars such as the Collins MultiScan, instead of immediately displaying data corresponding to reflected echoes, the data is stored in memory for later processing. This memory system has proved sufficient to allow processing of horizontal or vertical scan data.
Aircraft manufacturers desire airborne weather radar systems that may adapt to display not only traditional horizontal plan views of weather but also vertical views. A vertical view correlates weather returns not only with range and azimuth angle but also with altitude.
What is needed is a system and method for efficiently displaying weather data in a vertical view. What is further needed is such a system and method configured to generate weather data for a vertical view based on one or more detected values.
It would be desirable to provide a system and/or method that provides one or more of these or other advantageous features. Other features and advantages will be made apparent from the present specification. The teachings disclosed extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the aforementioned needs.